


Finally

by nausicaa_of_phaeacia



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Post "Chosen", Post Season 07, Post Sunnydale, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-22
Updated: 2013-08-22
Packaged: 2017-12-24 07:00:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/936809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nausicaa_of_phaeacia/pseuds/nausicaa_of_phaeacia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Sunnydale, everyone spreads into different directions, starting a new life. Giles and Buffy follow an offer that leads them to Suffolk. Their new task helps them clarify their relationship, and, maybe, gently develop something new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finally

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an idea I had and I had to write it down (in one go). Maybe I'll write sequels, I don't know yet. I own all my mistakes! Hope you like it :)

**Finally**

They had been driving around a little aimlessly, until they had decided to stay at a motel for a few months. Giles had been able to withdraw some of his money (kept in Britain) through a few friends and financed their stay. Finally, Robin, Faith and the remaining Potentials had decided to call Wesley (Travers had passed away, or so they learned, and Wyndam-Pryce had replaced him), and, with the help of the Council, move to London to be trained and educated. Giles politely refused to go with them; he didn't want to have anything to do with Council business anymore, but wished them luck. Willow moved to Bath to learn more from the coven Giles had stayed with. Dawn insisted to move to Los Angeles and be admitted to university, and Xander, who secretly felt attracted to her (and actually managed to keep it a secret), moved there too under the pretext to be joining an aunt of his (which was, nevertheless, true, in terms of housing). 

Buffy felt torn. On the one hand, it was possible that it would feel good to live her L.A. life again; but she felt she couldn't resume it, no matter how hard she'd be trying. Things weren't the same. Not only had she survived several apocalypses; she had lost her mother, died twice, and seen her home devoured by the now closed Hellmouth. She felt as though she had lived a whole life already; and in a way, that was true. Slayers never really got to reach the age of eightteen, even, and she was close to twenty. Partly, she felt as if she had become the "one" obstacle that had been barriering her from a long life. Somehow, she dared to hoped to die old one day. 

Giles, too, hadn't decided yet. He, too, felt that he couldn't simply return to Bath one more time. Everything was different now. He had expected to lose Buffy, again, and later to die in an apocalypse, but somehow - it must have been some kind of miracle - he hadn't. Not being a member of the Council anymore, he didn't have a job to do, either. And of his position as Buffy's Watcher, he couldn't be sure anymore ... not to mention that there wasn't another end of the world lurking behind the corner, anywhere. Life seemed oddly quiet, he thought.

That left the two of them at the motel, staying next door to each other. The days passed quietly; with financial help from Giles, Buffy was trying to restock on basic belongings such as clothing and books. So was he, as a matter of fact. The only thing he had saved from the Hellmouth - and that accidentally - was a small stripe of Ethan's horrible silver-black striped shirt which he had worn after his re-transformation from a Fyarl demon. He had kept it as some sort of talisman and found it in his front right pants pocket when they had been standing at the edge of the crater that had once been Sunnydale. He wouldn't have been able to explain why he had kept it, but it reminded him how close he had once been to getting slayed, and how Buffy had been the only one to recognize him, to actually look into his eyes and be able to _see_ him. On the day of Sunnydale's destruction, he had slipped it into his pocket in a sentimental fit of nostalgia and hope for extra luck.

Buffy had come out of the crumbling hell with nothing but the cross around her neck. It wasn't worth a thing, but it carried years and years of memories. Now, she sat on the shared balcony, fiddling with it, and staring into the not-too-intriguing view of plain houses with flat roofs and a lot of, well, _nothing_. Giles stepped outside from his room, barefoot, and joined her, leaning against the wall that separated their balcony from the next one. He took off his glasses to clean them with the hem of his shirt.  
"So, I guess that leaves the two of us."  
"Mm." She didn't look up.  
"Have you decided on where to go yet?"  
She sighed and put her feet down; she had been curled up in the uncomfortable wooden chair. Letting go of her cross, she turned to look at him. "Not really. Have you?"  
He shrugged; very rarely had she seen him do that. It seemed so ... unofficial, unwatcherly; she decided to like it, since it had to be showing her a part of the real Giles, the Giles who wasn't on duty. She pulled her stool closer to him and turned it around so she could sit and face him.  
"I thought you would go back to England first chance you get." It almost sounded like a reproach, and Buffy bit her lip for that. She really had to pay attention to her tone; it had improved a lot since her resurrection, but sometimes, she still fell back into the pattern of grumpy, cold, passive-aggressive Buffy, and she didn't really want that anymore.  
He cleared his throat, gazing into an indefinite distance. "I thought so too, but the idea doesn't seem as attractive to me anymore as it once was. Of course, I still have some connections, I could probably get back into the Council and resume my research work, or join the coven again. I still have a small apartment in Bath, and all my remaining belongings are there. But things have changed and I'm not sure if it is what I want anymore."

She started fiddling with her cross again. "I can't decide either. I'm sure Dawn would like it if I moved to L.A. with her, but on the other hand, I remember the time when I started college. I wasn't exactly in need of a lot of, uh, family at that time." Giles chuckled. "Besides, she has Xander, so she isn't exactly alone, either." She nodded, then swallowed.  
"Also, since the Hellmouth is apparently closed and nothing else is opening yet, I don't think I really have a job anymore. I guess I'll have to try something else." He put his glasses back on, then pulled over another wooden stool to sit in front of her, facing her. "What did you have in mind, Buffy?"  
She grinned at him. "Not the foggiest. I never finished university, so I don't have any real qualifications."  
"That's not true, Buffy, you have a lot of different talents. And as the Slayer, you know a lot about things that nobody else knows about."  
She gave him a weak smile. "Slayers aren't really needed, though. Also, we aren't exactly at a shortage of candidates." He grinned. 

They both looked at the horizon for a moment, then he said,  
"Actually, I might have an idea what we could do. But it, er, d-depends on you." She could swear she had seen him blush, but it faded too quickly. "On me?" She almost sounded cheerful. "What is it, Giles?"  
Again, he took down his glasses and fiddled with them. As he spoke, he ran his fingers through his hair. Buffy realized that she loved the movements that were typically Giles. She had missed him more than she had thought she would.  
"Through Wesley, I got an offer last night. It's not for the Council, but an order that is affiliated with it asked me to join them and help with some research." Buffy felt her muscles tense; with him leaving, too, she'd have no one. Nervousness climbing up her throat, she waited. "They specifically requested you too, actually. There isn't much demonic activity where they are - the order is situated in Suffolk - but some, there is, and they said that with your experience, you'd be a very valuable asset in research, too. B-But I'd understand if you declined. After all, you've spent all your life fighting the undead and it seems very logical that you enjoy your new life doing something entirely different." He seemed to be getting nervous and looked a little embarrassed. "I didn't know if I should tell you about it, but since they asked for you, too, I thought I'd bring it up. Nevertheless, I know you've had enough of d-doing this after all these years."  
She couldn't help but smile. He was adorable when he wasn't certain of himself. "Giles."  
He forced himself to look at her and was surprised to see a very kind smile on her lips. "That actually sounds wonderful. I'm not in for apocalypses, but as long as the end of the world isn't in sight, I'd love to go to Suffolk with you and slay the occasional demon. Oh, and learn how to do research. Maybe you can teach me Latin! Oh, and teach me chess! I have time for chess now. And I want to know everything about prophecies and incantations and the White Magic you used on Willow and Celtic mythology and just ... you know, all the _stuff_." He grinned. As much as she had changed, she hadn't lost her typical way of putting things and rambling about enthusiastically. He was touched, and at the same time relieved that she was still able to be bubbly.

"Are you saying you'd accept the offer?" Actually, she had said she'd _love_ to go to Suffolk _with him_ , but he commanded himself not to read anything into that. "Yeah," she smiled, letting go of the cross and looking straight at him. "It's cool to think I'll be your apprentice now." Guessing his thoughts, she added, "Well, I've always been your apprentice of some kind. But I want to make it right this time. I haven't exactly been a good student." Her eyes beamed at him, and he smiled back, nodding carefully. "I know you did your best, but a little more patience would have done a lot for you."  
"I know," she laughed. "But now that it's not a matter of life and death anymore, and now that I won't have any ... private distractions anymore, I'm sure I'll be able to be a lot more attentive." He nodded kindly. "But yeah, maybe 'apprentice' isn't right. Sure, you'll lead, but maybe I can be your _partner_. You know, like a partner in crime. Like a comrade in arms. No! Like a crime-solving partner. We'll be like private eyes watching the demonic activity. Ha, I like that," she laughed. Giles joined, but felt in a daze. Partner! Again, he internally slapped himself. He wasn't supposed to read anything into that. "What do you say?," she asked.

It took him a second longer than usual to react. "Sure, Buffy, if you'd like that." She nodded enthusiastically. "It's going to be awesome. No more pressure. Partners sounds just fine to me." He smiled warily. Never had he hoped for a more equal relationship between them, and 'partners' almost sounded too good to be true, even in the sense in which he forced himself to interpret her words.

Three days later, after having arranged everything and explained to their friends over the phone, they were on the plane.

* * *

The trip was almost too easy; they didn't have a lot of luggage, and they were both looking forward to their destination. The flight was long enough, and so were the train trips afterwards, but even though it was all very exhaustive, it felt good to both of them to have a definite goal, something that felt both safe and new. Their destination was Lowestoft, at the very East of England, by the coast. Buffy spent most of the train trip looking out of the window. England was just like she had imagined it, only better. And very different from California. She was intrigued by all the historic buildings; she found nearly everything beautiful, and Giles was touched to observe her amazement. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by a very cheerful and polite lady who introduced herself as Theodora Leighton. She was in her thirties, or so Buffy guessed, and unbelievably fascinating. Not pretty in the common sense, mind you; but she had an aura about her and something about her features that seemed to enchant everyone around her. Buffy had to admit to herself that she found herself immediately jealous of her, even though she was instantly impressed by her appearance and obviously kind heart.

They were led into a very nice-looking cottage of two stories; it was white, with blue shutters, and very close to the coast. "This is where you will be staying, if that is alright with you," Theodora smiled. Although he was clearly in awe, Giles managed, "T-Thank you very much. It's beautiful." Buffy couldn't even speak. She had never lived in a place so beautiful. The interiors had obviously been chosen very carefully. Almost everything was made out of wood, and all the combinations very tasteful. Theodora showed them around; the living room and kitchen were downstairs, a bathroom and two chambers upstairs. Everything looked very comfortable and inviting. Only after Theodora had left them with instructions to meet the order in the evening, without explaining anything about the "job", Buffy realized she had worn the same smile all along. 

They unpacked their things without even discussing their choice of rooms; somehow, Giles had instantly been drawn to the one facing West, and Buffy to the one facing East. While doing so and admiring the furniture, they occasionally called to each other from inside their rooms, small impressed comments about the interior, Lowestoft, and Theodora. When it came to her, Buffy felt an odd sting inside her, invoked by Giles' average, but nice comments about the woman, but managed to dismiss it and respond just as nicely (and honestly). They finished almost at the same time; Buffy spent the few minutes she had finished earlier in front of the mirror in her room, rearranging her bun and applying just the slightest bit of makeup, feeling very free at the thought that she was going to have time to do that everyday, from now on, without having to worry about anything grave. She smiled at the thought of how much her priorities had changed during her years at Sunnydale. Now, she felt that she was going to have all the freedom in the world to invest time and thought into looks, everyday things, and even love again. Ever since her resurrection, she hadn't given it much thought. Yes, sure, she had been in love with Angel, but that had ceased at some point. She had never truly been in love with Riley; he had been an amazing guy, very caring, very much the gentleman, and he had known about the slaying, but she had never felt any sparks flying around. And Spike - she had learned to love him, but had never been in love with him. She wondered if she was ever going to be in a healthy relationship with someone who cared about her as much as she would about him, who would be able to live with her past, and who would accept all her wounds and scars, exterior and interior. She exhaled audibly, just as Giles knocked politely at her half-opened door.

Torn from her thoughts, she turned around and smiled at him. His hair was a little scruffy; the trip had indeed been exhausting and she knew she didn't look so fresh either. "Shall we take a walk before following our invitation?" Happily, she nodded. She had been very excited about getting to know English places that were just so overall ... _English_. He stepped aside to let her through the door, following her down the stairs; after locking the door, he offered her his arm, and she took it gladly. It felt very comforting. After all the horrible events, she felt very safe in the company of someone who just _knew_ , to whom she didn't really have to explain. Of course, a lot had gone completely wrong between them, but their current situation and the fact that they would be working and living together made her hope that all their mistakes were going to be fixed.

At first, they didn't talk much, only admired the facades and landscape. They found a small park and wordlessly agreed to sit on a bench, facing a bunch of lovely poplars shivering in the soft breeze.  
"So, Buffy," he had freed his arm and - of course, Buffy smiled - started to clean his glasses with the hem of his shirt, "a-are you sure you're okay with us staying at the same place? Because in case you aren't, I'm sure I can convince Miss Leighton to m-make some arrangements for me to live elsewhere."  
She turned to him. "Don't be silly, Giles. You know I like staying with you." He smiled at that. "Pity we haven't spent much time recently. In Sunnydale, I mean. We've really grown apart, it's a shame." His look agreed with her. "Guess we can make up for that now, right? Sorry for pushing you away so often. I couldn't help myself." He gave a wary smile; he could see it had been an obstacle for her to apologize to him.  
He almost winked at her. "I'm sure something can be arranged." She didn't dare to smile, until he said, "I'm sorry, too. We've both, uh, been stupid, haven't we." She nodded enthusiastically, and it reminded him of the conversation they'd had on the balcony of the motel. 

"That's going to change now," she said with a firm voice, looking at the poplars bending with the wind. "We're going to be partners. Working together. I really mean it. We should be a team, like we were earlier in Sunnydale. Supporting each other. Not just you watching my back." He was going to protest, but she was faster. "It's true Giles, I've been quite egoistical. Not anymore. Egoism and Buffy are unmixy things now." She offered him her hand, and, unsure what to expect, he took it in his own, giving her a puzzled look that cleared when she shook it, saying somewhat cheekily, "New Buffy. Pleased to meet you." He grinned back. "Pleasure's all mine," he replied, before putting on his glasses, his eyes smiling at her through them.

* * *

Back at the cottage, Buffy was deciding on what to wear. It was clear that this was going to be some kind of a formal dinner, but who was she to know how fancy it was going to be? Not that she had much of a choice at the moment - she had bought around a third of the amount of clothes she had bulked at Sunnydale. After trying on several tops, she settled for the only dress she had bought and in which Giles hadn't seen her yet. It was too fancy for everydays, but still very modest: navy blue, knee-length, shoulders fully covered, and not showing much on the front at all; it was cut a little lower on the back, but still high enough to be decent and elegant. Its skirt was very flowy, and for a moment, Buffy secretly wished for the invitation to include some dancing. She kept the same bun she had made earlier, only adjusting a few stray strands of hair; then, she put on a charming, but modest shade of lipstick. Critically, she observed her image in the mirror, but was more or less satisfied: elegant, but modest. She had also bought one single pair of elegant shoes: flat, black, and laced, made from shiny leather. Again, she marveled at how much her priorities had changed, also in taste. She had discovered a quite feminine, but elegant and practical side about herself, and for a moment, she couldn't avoid to wonder if Giles would like this change about her, then bit her lip.

Again, she heard his familiar knock; he had sticked to the same rhythm he had applied earlier. She smiled at that and opened the door. He looked very impressed with her. Noticing it, she asked, "Do you like it?" With a genuine smile, he replied, "Very becoming." The beam she shot at him for that would have made any man melt on the spot, but Giles managed to carry on seemingly unimpressed; his slight blush betrayed him, and she smiled inwardly. He offered her his arm; stroking the material of his jacket for a moment, she said, "Looking very elegant yourself, Giles." He replied with a very honest 'thank you'. He was wearing a plain white shirt underneath a black cord jacket, and plain black pants. She noticed he wasn't wearing a tie and decided that she liked the change. Silently, they walked over to something that looked like a Victorian mansion; it was where they had been told to meet their employers.

* * *

Buffy rang the bell after asking Giles' permission with her eyes. As expected, Theodora opened, looking absolutely stunning. Buffy's heart sank; for a reason she couldn't define, she felt jealous again. Giles gave the hostess a charming smile and Buffy felt as if stabbed in the chest, but managed to smile politely. Theodora led them to a large table and sat at the head. After a welcome speech by her and the introduction of many people Buffy found very interesting, their position and mission within the order was explained. They were to continually research a huge amount of recently found ancient manuscripts with spells (Buffy could see Giles rub his palms under the tablecloth and smiled) and make an inventory of every manuscript of the sorts ever found in Suffolk, in order for the resulting catalogue to be published with a brief summary of each piece. Furthermore, they were to assist with research regarding any current demonic activity, of which there wasn't a lot, but some. Also, Buffy was - upon a proud comment from Giles - asked to patrol around Lowestoft once a week, at which she almost jumped with joy, making little happy fists under the table. 

After all first work-related discussions, dinner was served and Buffy almost devoured the table with her eyes; Giles smiled at her look but felt the same. They had been starving after the whole trip, and the food was delicious. Neither of them was up to much conversation during the meal, but they were eager to listen to everyone and learn more about the order's members. Buffy was curious about the order's history; she hoped to learn more about it during some research with Giles. It was called "The Order of Artemis", referring, of course, to the Greek goddess of hunt. Buffy smiled at that. It was several centuries old, and had always stayed relatively small, focused on local research and demon hunting. She was relieved; this was going to be like her old occupation, only more focused on theory, but without having to give up the physical component of slaying completely, and that would also mean she was going the be training with Giles. 

Theodora explained how at the order's building, they would have a huge library to them most of the time - Giles was beaming - and that there was a training room in its cellar with modern gear and a large assortment of weapons. Everything sounded so ideal; Buffy, having learned to be suspicious wondered if there was a disadvantage to it. She listened closely and after a short while, another member of the order, a Sir Dorian Williams, explained the salary system. They wouldn't get too much for their work, but Buffy was mollified upon being told that apart from their salary, the housing was going to be free. She exchanged a brief look with Giles, and they both seemed very satisfied. They _would_ get paid, and they certainly didn't need much, especially since their lodging was going to be accounted for. They gave each other an almost imperceptible nod. 

When dinner was finished, a few members stood up and briefly disappered to the next room, only to return with a few instruments and play some charming Victorian Age dance music. Buffy wondered if it was only tradition or whether dancing events had stagnated, musically. Smiling at herself, she dismissed the thought. She hoped Giles would ask her to dance, but before she could try to convey such a message to him with her eyes, Theodora had asked Giles to dance a menuet. She was, undeniably, jealous, but impressed by the way they moved among the other dancing couples. Giles seemed to be an incredibly good dancer, and Theodora moved like a princess. Only when they returned to the table, Buffy felt her fists unclench, even though she had tried to stay calm. Next was a lovely waltz, and even though Giles had only just sat down, offered her his hand with a smile, and she nodded, flattered. She knew how to waltz, that had to be a bonus. In his arms, she felt incredibly safe and free. Forced to be in control of everything around her during her whole life, it was an indescribable joy to Buffy to let Giles lead and just follow his elegant and confident movements. He must have noticed, because he looked very satisfied in an utterly adorable way, as if he was finally doing something right.

Both a little giddy from the dance, they returned to the table, Buffy taking his arm again. "I didn't know you were such a great dancer," she told him quietly. He seemed genuinely flattered, and blushed very briefly. "Thank you, Buffy. But you dance very well yourself." She smiled. "Well, it's all about being led properly." His eyes were full of something that, to her, looked an awful lot like gratitude when he smiled back. 

* * *

They had both enjoyed the evening very much and felt a strange relief, as though the weight of the world had just been taken off their shoulders. Certainly they would have to bear a lot of responsibility in their new occupation, too, but it was nothing compared to pretty much annual apocalypses and loved ones in danger every week.

Back at the cottage, they had been meaning to take turns at using the bathroom, but ended up trying to enter, toothbrush in hand, at the same time, which resulted in a fit of unrestrained, beautiful laughter. They therefore decided to brush their teeth at the same time, which was very amusing since sometimes, their movements were practically synchronized. Maybe it was a silly moment to think such a thing, but Buffy felt an immense gratitude for the fact that they were, somehow, bonded. Giles didn't even know what to think amidst the overall happy feeling that had taken him. He hadn't felt such joy and satisfaction in years. Everything seemed to be the way it should be; Slayer and Watcher not separated, on the contrary, with a mission that included all of their former duties in one way or another; with a mission that meant that suddenly, she was willing to learn from him; with a mission that included living together, and something that meant more than plain friendship (he wasn't sure what it meant exactly, but he was overly glad to know they had fixed their relationship).

Washing her face as he was waiting next to her to do the same, Buffy's mind raced with countless thoughts. This felt so right. In fact, this felt more like a calling than being the Slayer had. Certainly, it was undeniable that she had more or less saved the world a few times, and that terrible things would have happened, hadn't she fulfilled her calling as the Slayer. But she knew she was in need of a little more peace, and of a slightly different life, and this just seemed perfect. It contained a little of everything she hadn't wanted to give up, and more importantly, it contained a friend, someone who she knew would _always_ stand by her, support her, have her back.

She watched him closely as he washed his face. It did hit her like a crossbow arrow through the mind; he had always been there for her. He had been a constant in her life. He had been like family, or more. The bond they had was something that couldn't be described. It was unbelievably intimate, yet focused on slaying. She wouldn't have known how to put it into words, but as she watched him, she felt as if, maybe, there was something so much more than friendship, than pure partnership, that she ought to call it love - not the love a friend has for a friend, or members of a family for each other, but something completely different. She didn't dare to define it; instead, she smiled at him through the mirror when he looked at his reflection. He smiled back.

On the corridor, they said good-night; before he could turn and walk to his room, Buffy suddenly hugged him tight. He seemed surprised at first, but it only took him a few seconds to wrap his arms around her. The warmth he seemed to spread to her made her feel all safe and tingly. "Thank you, Giles," she whispered. "For what, Buffy?" She even tightened her grip a little, up to the extent that Giles wondered if she'd ever let go, but smiling at it. "Well, everything, I guess," she replied. "Don't think I've ever thanked you really. So, thank you for sticking with me. I mean it. I know it was your job, but you chose to stay even when I pushed you away. And thank you for ... for _this _, for this new life. I need this. I need you." He didn't know how to smile more than he did. He squeezed her a little. "You're welcome, Buffy. Thank you for sticking with me, too, after all." They could practically hear each other smile into each other's shoulders. Then, they let go a little too quickly, maybe both a little embarassed, and with a mutual 'good night', disappeared into their rooms.__

__* * *_ _

Neither of them was really able to sleep, partly because of the jet lag they both had, partly because of excitement, and because their minds raced, both thinking about this huge change in their lives, and about their relationship to each other. Giles couldn't allow himself to hope for more than had been displayed, but was infinitely happy with the fact that they had gotten so close again. It seemed so right. Buffy, on the other hand, spent half the night musing about where this might lead. She didn't want to ruin anything, but was trying to find out what she really felt for Giles, and whether he, too, felt there was more about their relationship than they had allowed, or not. 

Before dawn, she got up and crept downstairs. She hadn't slept a minute and was too wide awake to stay and try. She put on the kettle, then curled onto the couch, a kettle of fresh tea and a mug conveniently next to her on a small table. A few minutes after settling down, she could hear him come down the stairs, barefoot. The sound of it made her smile; then, suddenly thinking that maybe the scent of fresh tea had made him come down almost made her giggle, but she managed to suppress it. He shyly crept into the living room.  
"Hi," she smiled, just as shyly. "Hello," he said in a lovely, husky morning voice. "Have you slept?," she asked. He grinned, "Not really. Maybe an hour." She poured more tea into her mug, then offered it to him. After a moment of hesitation - it was _her_ mug - he gratefully took it and, after a brief smile, sat down next to her on the small couch and took a sip. He was positively surprised. "Very nice tea, Buffy," he said. She was flattered. "Thanks. I think I've discovered the right proportion of your tea leaves and water." He chuckled; she copied him.

They sat silently, every now and then smiling at each other. Both were exhausted, but happy. After finishing the mug of tea, he put it onto the couch table with a small clink. He pulled up one knee and rubbed his eyes, then his hair. She smiled; he wasn't sure, but from the corner of his eyes, briefly thought to have spotted her do so. It sent an unfamiliarly warm and loving feeling through his whole body. He looked at her, and since she didn't have time to hide her smile, broadened it instead, causing him to respond similarly. Finally, she leaned her head onto his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her. It felt infinitely weird to think that around a year ago, they had almost been enemies every now and then, and now were sitting on a couch together in their pyjamas, hugging each other. Suddenly, Buffy made up her mind, after having thought about it the whole night. "Giles?," she asked shyly. He squeezed her shoulder just a little, not suspecting anything, just being grateful for the friendly intimacy. "Mm?"  
It took her almost a little too long to answer, so nervous and excited was she about how he would react, and so afraid that she might ruin the wonderful _something_ their relationship had just become.  
"I love you," she said, quickly. She felt him smile into her hair. "I love you too, Buffy," he replied, but it was so soon and so confidently that she was sure he hadn't read the meaning into it which she had intended. 

She sat up, loosening his hold but not shaking off his arm; she looked straight at him, a gaze which he returned, suddenly realizing how close she was to him. "No. I _love_ you," she repeated, blushing. For a moment, she could see a multitude of feelings race through his heart and expression, until she saw him settle for unwordly joy. He was genuinely surprised, and his heart leapt so high that for a split second, he thought the feeling would kill him. He hadn't ever hoped to feel this way with anyone. As soon as she saw how happy he was, Buffy put on a smile that, could its intensity have been translated into sunrays, would have set whole galaxies on fire. She couldn't remember to ever have been this happy. None of them would later be able to tell who had made the first move, but their lips met in a kiss so pure, so soft, so genuine that Buffy almost started crying with joy; both trembled. The smile they gave each other when they opened their eyes again was priceless, and not to be described with words. And indeed, no more words were necessary; both immediately and doubtlessly knew who they had, finally, found. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :) Comments/reviews more than welcome! x


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